Free Republic

In the 1990s, amid a growing culture war over the role of religion and morality in public policy, Republicans used their congressional majorities to crank up funding for programs that encouraged teens to abstain from sex until marriage. But now, though Democrats have taken control of Congress, abstinence-only programs are surviving attempts to shut them down. And they could even get an increase with the aid of an unlikely ally: House Appropriations Committee Chairman David R. Obey (D-Wis.), one of the old liberal lions. "We're expecting funding to be pretty comparable to what it was in the past," said Valerie...

On March 9, 2005 at 10:00 a.m., the Senate Finance Committee will consider the Personal Responsibility, Work, and Family Promotion Act of 2005,  S.105,better known as Welfare Reform.  In this bill is the Title V A-H definition of abstinence education.  There is a credible threat that Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) will attempt to amend the definition of abstinence education to include contraception and so-called "safe sex" promotion.   There is also a chance that an amendment will be offered on so-called "medical accuracy" or to authorize spending for a whole new sex-ed program.  We will not have specific information about the amendment until...